There are plenty of warnings against presumption.
There was a study I was doing with someone on the term ‘complacency’ and there’s a lot of presumption to be seen in what leads to that. People get so comfortable in what they believe they know and what position they think they’re in and before they know it, their position is lost and the suffering is significant. To ward that off, humility and diligence remains important qualities to exercise.
Having said that, there is something to be said about knowing you have a job to complete.
Can you imagine being Noah? Seeing the state of the world around you, hearing an instruction given to you and then diligently carrying that out, because you’re called to do something. You build an ark to the dimensions you’re given. You populate it with the zoo requirements you’re given. You ensure everyone is in when they need to be. Then you spend the best part of a year in the ark waiting for the rain to stop, waiting for the water to abate, waiting to see dry land and waiting to release the zoo to go about the business of repopulating the earth.
Can you imagine being Solomon? Seeing the state of the kingdom of Israel that’s undergone years of warfare under his predecessor. Now in a state of peace he’s able to embark on the hugely ambitious plan to construct a temple for the God of his father. Such an architectural and ornamental masterpiece that elements that would today be considered precious would mark regular parts of the infrastructure. This would take seven years to put together, requiring extensive manpower and international cooperation. The final product that was years in the making would be the significant point of contact for a people’s celebration of their relationship with God.
These might come across like characters you may not relate with because of position and their historical significance. Yet these people were human and as they had a calling that would take time and intentional effort to fulfil, so are all those who likewise have a relationship with God. There is a calling. It will take time. It won’t have to be anything as massive as an ark or a temple, but as long as it’s a calling from God it will be well worthwhile seeing what can be done to take part in it and be assured of its completion because of the One who calls.
Something to consider.
(Photo by Elena Koycheva on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 